1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a foot rest and extension for a chair or stool and, more particularly, to a removable foot rest and extension for a chair or stool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A chair is generally designed to accommodate one person and usually consists of a seat resting on three, four, or five legs, a backrest, and sometimes arm rests. The seat of an office chair generally rests on one seat post and is attached to the seat post in such a way that allows the seat to swivel atop the seat post. In addition, an office chair may be designed to allow an occupant to adjust seat height by adjusting seat post length. Generally, four to five legs of an office chair base extend outward from the seat post to provide stability. Office chairs may also include wheels or casters mounted beneath chair leg ends to increase mobility of a chair occupant. A foot ring may be mounted on a seat post or chair legs, providing an occupant with an area on which to rest his/her feet. Generally, a foot ring consists of a tube drawn into a circle with its center located in the area of the seat post and a diameter of eighteen to twenty-four inches, and is removably attached to the seat post with spokes that extend out from the seat post to the ring.
Typically, from the top view of a chair, footrests do not extend beyond the seat of the chair. This characteristic requires a chair occupant to flex, or bend, his or her leg at the knee, decreasing the angle between the femur and tibia/fibula to less than ninety degrees. Maintaining this position can cause muscle fatigue and back strain; stress on legs, back, and neck; poor circulation in legs and feet; improper posture; and uncomfortable seating. Therefore, an ergonomic foot rest for a chair is desirable that does not create these problems for the chair occupant. Preferably, such a foot rest would be easy to attach and remove from the chair and could be used with existing chairs without modification to the chairs.
A foot rest designed with consideration of orthopedic factors is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,571 issued to Colondona and U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,258 issued to Wolpert. The Colondona patent discloses a foot rest frame and sling combination as a component of a portable foldable reclining chair. However, the foot rest frame of the Colondona patent is pivotally mounted onto a specifically designed chair and is joined to the bottom of the seat of the reclining chair by utilizing independent apparatuses, foot rest locking clamps and foot rest extension bar guides, specifically designed and permanently attached to the reclining chair. In addition, the Colondona patented foot rest positions a chair occupant's thigh and lower leg at a one hundred and eighty degree angle and is designed for optimal orthopedic comfort when an occupant is reclining and relaxing. Thus the Colondona patent is neither ergonomically suitable for a person sitting up, adaptable to a previously existing chair, nor removable.
The Wolpert patent discloses a leg rest for use in connection with a certain type of wheel chair. The leg rest assembly is designed to be retrofitted into an existing wheel chair, requiring modification of the wheel chair. In addition, the leg rest disclosed in the Wolpert patent is designed to hold one leg in a position wherein the thigh-to-lower leg angle is approximately one hundred and eighty degrees. Thus the leg rest of the Wolpert patent is neither ergonomically suitable for both legs of a person nor easy to attach and remove, and it requires modification of a preexisting chair.
Therefore, in spite of the well-developed state of chairs, there remains a need for a foot rest that is easily attachable to and removable from conventional chairs and stools, without requiring modification to the chair or stool, and that provides ergonomic support for the feet and legs of the chair occupant.